A bold claim that reignites the restitution conversation
Benin has opened a new chapter in its long campaign to reclaim cultural heritage held in France. President Romuald Wadagni has formally asked his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, to return 35 additional cultural objects and historical documents currently kept in French institutions. The request follows the historic handover of 26 royal treasures from Abomey in 2021, and it has quickly sparked fresh debate about memory, cultural sovereignty, and the road ahead.
Why these 35 items matter
The demand is not merely symbolic. It forms part of a broader effort to let Benin reclaim significant portions of its own history and make them accessible to its people. Among the pieces sought are objects tied to the ancient kingdoms of Benin, their rulers, and their traditions. Their return would enrich national collections and add depth to the historical narratives presented in Beninese museums.
For authorities in Cotonou, restitution is a matter of both remembrance and sovereignty. For decades, a substantial part of Benin’s material history has been kept outside Africa. The country now aims to reverse that trend.
Building on Patrice Talon’s legacy
Wadagni is walking in the footsteps of his predecessor, Patrice Talon, who made cultural restitution a cornerstone of Benin’s diplomacy. The high point of that policy came in November 2021, when 26 works from the royal treasury of Abomey were officially returned by France.
Those objects—thrones, statues, scepters, and other emblematic pieces of the Dahomey kingdom—had been seized by French troops during the conquest of the kingdom in 1892. Their homecoming stirred deep emotions across Benin. For many citizens, it was not simply the return of old artifacts but the recovery of a piece of their own story.
That first restitution also had international resonance, helping position Benin as one of Africa’s most vocal advocates in the global debate over African heritage held in Western collections. With the new request for 35 items, Cotonou intends to keep that momentum alive and widen the movement.
Museums ready to welcome the treasures
Recovering the works is only the first step. Benin must also have the infrastructure to house, preserve, and showcase them. This is a central pillar of the country’s cultural policy, and the government has invested heavily in building and modernizing museum facilities.
In Abomey, the Museum of the Epic of the Amazons and the Kings of Danxomè is designed to recount the history of the Dahomey kingdom and display part of its heritage. In Porto-Novo, the International Vodun Museum project aims to shed light on a religious and cultural tradition often reduced to stereotypes abroad. In Ouidah, projects dedicated to the memory of slavery are expected to strengthen the city’s place in Benin’s cultural and tourism landscape.
The strategy is clear: returned objects should not simply sit behind glass. They must be accompanied by scientific, educational, and historical work that helps visitors understand their origins, meaning, and the circumstances under which they left Benin.
Heritage as a driver of tourism
This heritage policy also serves an economic ambition. Benin wants culture and tourism to contribute more to national growth. The return of artifacts therefore fits into a wider strategy to turn historic sites, traditions, and museums into genuine tourist attractions.
Abomey and its royal palaces, Ouidah and its history linked to the slave trade, Porto-Novo and its architectural heritage, Vodun traditions, and the cultures of the ancient kingdoms are all assets. The challenge now is to create a real tourist circuit around these sites.
A visitor could discover the royal palaces of Abomey, continue to the museums of Porto-Novo, explore the history of Ouidah, and take part in cultural events such as the Vodun Days. Around these activities, hotels, restaurants, crafts, transport, guide services, and a whole local economy can develop. Heritage then becomes much more than a matter of conservation: it can become an economic sector that creates jobs and income.
The challenge of conservation and transmission
Restitution also raises another challenge: conservation. Ancient objects require specific conditions of temperature, humidity, security, and restoration. Their return must therefore be accompanied by appropriate skills and resources.
Benin will also need to continue training conservators, historians, restorers, and heritage specialists to ensure these items are passed on to future generations. The goal must not be simply to recover objects but to allow young generations to make them their own.
In schools, universities, and museums, these works can become teaching and research tools. They can help us better understand precolonial kingdoms, African societies, resistance to colonial conquest, and the political and cultural transformations that have marked Benin’s history.
A cultural battle that crosses borders
The request for 35 new cultural objects sent to France illustrates the shifting balance of power around African heritage. For a long time, major European museums held a considerable share of objects from the African continent. Today, several African states want to regain control of their heritage and build institutions on their own soil capable of conserving and presenting it.
Benin intends to play a leading role in this movement. After the 26 royal treasures returned in 2021 under Patrice Talon, the 35 new items claimed by Romuald Wadagni mark a further step. The process could still be long, as each object requires identification, documentation, and negotiation.
But the message from Cotonou is now clear: Benin’s heritage must gradually find its place back home.
Reclaiming the past to build the future
The fight for restitution goes beyond the mere question of ancient objects. It touches on identity, memory, and a country’s ability to tell its own story. For Benin, the challenge now is to turn each restitution into an opportunity. A returned work must be studied, preserved, exhibited, and explained. A museum that opens its doors must attract both Beninese citizens and foreign visitors. A historic site must benefit the communities living nearby.
Only then will restitution take on its full meaning. The 35 new items claimed from France could become another piece of a vast project: recover heritage, build museums, develop tourism, and turn memory into a resource for the future.
Having secured the return of the Abomey treasures, Benin now wants to go further. The heritage battle is changing scale. And behind the negotiations between Cotonou and Paris lies a broader ambition: to make Benin’s heritage not only a legacy to preserve but also a cultural, educational, and economic force for future generations.